Introduction
Imperial Stormtroopers. These are supposed to be the dreaded and brutal crack troops of the evil Galactic Empire (as designated in the original Star Wars film). They are clad in iconic and possibly ironic virgin-white armor that does not seem to keep any blaster bolt or even the occasional arrow from harming them (yes, I know it is supposed to make them reminiscent of skeletons and help keep them alive in space). Their heads are encased in helmets that mask their human appearance, helping us feel little or no empathy for their fate, and apparently preventing them from seeing well (is that why they are so brave, yet so inept?). They are taunted for being weak-minded and for being supposedly precise shots, while consistently failing to kill any named protagonist (they wounded one, once… probably because her male co-conspirator moved out of the way). They are blamed for other people’s faults and yet carry on with their thankless work. They set their weapons for stun and generally seek to politely arrest the very same fanatical terrorists who are slaughtering them by the AT-AT-load and stop at nothing to blow up the only thing that could secure peace and prosperity in the galaxy (admittedly through fear) … twice (or is it thrice now?). Hmmm. I submit to you that if not unsung heroes, these poor doofuses might well be considered the pitiable victims of their dogmatic creator (George Lucas), their senile or esoteric, uncaring and self-centered bosses (Emperor, Vader), their own sense of duty and obedience, and the sanguine disregard for human life or civilized behavior on the part of said radical terrorists and even easily-manipulatable man-eating teddy-bears. Given the consistency with which Stormtroopers are abused in the Star Wars saga, shouldn’t we consider them victims, underdogs, and sympathize with them? And now we know that they are not robots or clones but the unwitting conscripts forced into service by a totalitarian government by being snatched away from their families like some futuristic proto-janissaries (and even if they were clones, don’t clone lives matter too?). Perhaps I have been taught to question too much, perhaps it is too difficult to resist the Marxist notion that only some groups are worth vindicating, or perhaps films designed for children and young adults do not really stand up to any serious in-depth analysis. If only one of the new spin-off films would adopt a different perspective… Speaking of films, I have digressed too far.

Hot Toys recently produced a new 1/6 scale Stormtrooper action figure as part of its Movie Masterpiece series (MMS 393). Although the official name of this product does not reference it except on the instruction sheet, this figure is specifically an Imperial Stormtrooper as they appear in Rogue One. The classic Stormtroopers featured in each of the Original Trilogy films, their appearance changing ever so subtly from film to film (for better effect or actor experience, not to convey a change in the uniform). So it should be no surprise that the Stormtroopers in Rogue One also have a slightly different appearance, even if the action takes place mere days before the beginning of the original film, A New Hope. Consequently, Hot Toys, which had already released an excellent Stormtrooper action figure from A New Hope (MMS 267), had the occasion to capture the trooper’s slightly different appearance in a new film and also the opportunity to improve upon its earlier product. Now don’t get me wrong: I enjoyed Rogue One very much and I think it is perhaps the best Star Wars film produced since Return of the Jedi (or possibly even since Empire Strikes Back, considering Jedi’s questionable second half). But I got this action figure because it is essentially a classic Stormtrooper from the Original Trilogy, not because it was a new, slightly different Stormtrooper from a new film. You might ask yourself whether one really needs another Stormtrooper? That, of course, is up to each individual collector to answer, but in my opinion the rhetorical question should really be whether one could ever have enough of them (admittedly, cost and space might get in the way of building an army). Besides, in terms of appearance, the new Hot Toys Stormtrooper represents a palpable improvement on their earlier product. As an Original Trilogy purist, I have relatively little interest in the new troopers (Death Trooper, Tank Driver, Shore Trooper, and that unfortunately revised Imperial Ground Crew), in part because they remind me too much of things we have seen in the Prequel and Sequel Trilogies, however well-made they might be. But another classic Stormtrooper? How could I resist!

In this review I will evaluate the new Stormtrooper action figure not only in itself and in relation to Rogue One, but also in relation to Stormtroopers in the Original Trilogy, and the earlier Hot Toys Stormtrooper action figure based on A New Hope. Thus, in some respects, this is a comparison review. In cases where both Hot Toys Stormtrooper action figures appear in a picture (like the comparison pictures), they are labeled accordingly. Readers might find Michael Crawford’s detailed reviews of several earlier action figures helpful for comparison: Hot Toys Jedha Patrol Stormtrooper, Hot Toys Luke Skywalker in Stormtrooper Disguise, Hot Toys Stormtrooper, and also the Sideshow Imperial Stormtrooper. Some useful reference images from Rogue One or its promotions can be found here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here.